Abu Dhabi International Sculpture Symposium

Abu Dhabi: Seventeen sculptures designed by world-renowned artists will soon adorn public places in the capital.

The massive sculptures were unveiled on Wednesday night as the curtain came down on the six-week Abu Dhabi International Sculpture Symposium (Adiss).

The sculptures will be set up in public places chosen by Abu Dhabi Municipality after they decide the most suitable sites in consultation with the artists, organisers said.

At the closing ceremony on Wednesday, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and President of Zayed University, unveiled the sculptures that were turned into distinguished pieces of art from huge blocks of marble, granite, steel and stainless steel.

The symposium presented the public with a unique opportunity to visit the workshops and interact with artists, Shaikh Nahyan said.

All 17 of the sculptors, whose designs were chosen after over 400 sculptors were reviewed, were given certificates of appreciation.

"The sculptures will allow residents, visitors and tourists to view and enjoy these works of art," said Khalifa Mohammad Al Mazroui, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Municipality.

"The municipality will handle their distribution to unique locations in the city," he said.

Suitable locations will be selected and identified for the sculptures in a way that will highlight the artistic, cultural and historical monuments of Abu Dhabi, Al Mazroui added.

Works on show

Billy Lee from the United Kingdom, Caroline Ramersdorfer from Austria, Ehab Al Laban from Eqypt, Fabrizio Dieci from Italy, Gheorghi Filin and Petre Petrov from Bulgaria, Gregor Kregar from Slovenia, Hassan Sharif from United Arab Emirates, Hwang Seoung-Woo from Korea, Jo Kley from Germany, Jon Barlow Hudson from the US, John Gogaberishvili from the Republic of Georgia, Juanjo Novella from Spain, Konstantin Dimopoulos from Australia, Masahiro Hasegawa and Yoshin Ogata from Japan and Hussam Chaya from Lebanon.